2008 Toyota Camry Brakes Problems

ABS light on, Brake warning light on, difficult to brake, Air Conditioner malfunctioning and seems connected to this issue.

NHTSA ID

11603832

Incident

Jul 1, 2024

am writing to report a critical safety issue with my 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid's ABS module. The problems I've encountered include failing ABS modules, weak braking, VSC light illumination, a ringing sound, and occasional brake failure, requiring excessive force to regain control. This ABS module problem is alarmingly common in Toyota Camry Hybrids from 2007 to 2011. Repair costs are exorbitant, and the widespread nature of this issue poses a significant safety risk to drivers and passengers. I urgently request the NHTSA's immediate investigation and collaboration with Toyota to address this matter and ensure the safety of affected vehicles.

NHTSA ID

11534462

Incident

Jul 24, 2023

Actuator and Pump Assembly, leaks won't build pressure makes brakes where pedal don't work

NHTSA ID

11534034

Incident

Jul 21, 2023

I am writing to report a critical safety issue with my 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid's ABS module. The problems I've encountered include failing ABS modules, weak braking, VSC light illumination, a ringing sound, and occasional brake failure, requiring excessive force to regain control. This ABS module problem is alarmingly common in Toyota Camry Hybrids from 2007 to 2011. Repair costs are exorbitant, and the widespread nature of this issue poses a significant safety risk to drivers and passengers. I urgently request the NHTSA's immediate investigation and collaboration with Toyota to address this matter and ensure the safety of affected vehicles.

NHTSA ID

11532964

Incident

Jul 12, 2023

ABS/VSC actuator pump failure and with the abs alarm on causing constant drain to the system needing jump every time or to disconnect 12v every time parked. Dealer diagnosed wrong last year stating 12v battery needed replacement. I did the $500. It did NOT fix the problem. Now dealer states actuator pump failure - replace/fix price approx $4,000. I asked for diagnostic readouts to prove to me that they have it right this time. (I'm over 50 hours into this ABS failure) he refused and would not agree to refund my money if I would go ahead with their advised repair. My car has only 116,000 miles on it! I've checked around & it seems that my model should be part of recall/repair. I've gotten nothing written from Toyota when I have inquired in writing. Extremely dangerous, this failure!

NHTSA ID

11501983

Incident

Oct 1, 2022

Breaks are not working. ABS is acting like it is in panic situation. it happens randomly. I almost went and hit somebody due to car not stopping. I am able to reproduce the issue but Toyota dealer is not accepting it. he says without seeing fault code in Toyota diagnostic tool they can't do anything. they are asking me continuously drive the vehicle. if I drive knowingly there is an issue with ABS who will be liable for accident or death. I saw few NHTSA complains raised similar to my issue. Here they are. NHTSA Compliant id: 11327259 and 11321857. Please take this seriously and help us out. There are many owners experiencing similar issues for the same model vehicles. They have done recall on hybrid model but non hybrid vehicles have same problem. you can reach me at [XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ID

11457949

Incident

Feb 1, 2022

Brake actuator failure is too common in this vehicle. Needs to be an open warranty without limitation. This is a safety issue Toyota should be handling. On June 25, 2014, Toyota initiated a Warranty Enhancement Program (ZE1) to extend warranty coverage for the brake actuator assembly and skid control ECU/brake pedal stroke sensor in certain MY 2007 to 2011 Toyota Camry hybrid vehicles. Toyota's program covers repairs related to two conditions: internal malfunctions of the Brake Actuator assembly; and overly sensitive monitoring logic for the Brake Pedal Stroke Sensor. Melting dash is ridiculous as well. I can only imagine what kind of cancer I will be getting from inhaling the noxious fumes from the melting dash.

NHTSA ID

11450055

Incident

Feb 2, 2022

VSC light came on. No breaks. Almost hit the car in front of me.

NHTSA ID

11432360

Incident

Sep 7, 2021

VSC LIGHT COMES ON AND BEEPS AFTER 3 YEARS OF BEING REPLACED BY TOYOTA UNDER WARRANTY IT HAPPEN AGAIN - THE ABS BREAKS ARE NOT THERE AND A CONTINUOUS BEEP SOUNDS. I WAS QUOTED 1600 TO FIX ALTHOUGH I DONT HAVE THE MONEY AND TOYOTA KNOWS OF THIS ISSUE 2008 TOY CAM HYBRID STATIONARY AND MOVING

NHTSA ID

11389640

Incident

Oct 2, 2020

Mileage

170,000 mi

I WAS APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION ON A CITY STREET AND STARTED TO SLOW DOWN WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL DROPPED, THE "CHECK VSC SYSTEM" MESSAGE CAME ON THE DASH, SEVERAL DASH LIGHTS TURNED ON, AND THE POWER BRAKES FAILED SO I HAD TO STEP ON THE BRAKES VERY HARD IN ORDER TO STOP. I WAS ABLE TO SLOWLY DRIVE HOME. THE "CHECK VSC SYSTEM" ,MESSAGE IS STILL ON THE DASH.

NHTSA ID

11385035

Incident

Dec 24, 2020

Mileage

277,630 mi

WHILE DRIVING UPHILL ALL OF A SUDDEN I RECEIVED MULTIPLE WARNINGS ( NOISE, BRAKE LIGHT, EXCLAMATION POINT, AND A MESSAGE ABOUT ABS). I WENT TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN ON A STREET TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG WITH MY CAR AND HAD NO BRAKES. THE BRAKE PEDAL DID NOT MOVE AT ALL. REALIZING I COULD NOT STOP, I DROVE ON THE GRASS AND COASTED UNTIL THE CAR CAME TO A STOP. TO SAY THIS WAS TERRIFYING IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR I COULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE ELSE, I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE BRAKE ACTUATOR AND IT WOULD BE $2054.00 FOR THE PART. I NEVER RECEIVED ANY RECALL ABOUT THIS PROBLEM

NHTSA ID

11383953

Incident

Dec 13, 2020

Mileage

143,000 mi

BRAKES FAIL TO WORK IN MAJORITY OF DRIVING CIRCUMSTANCES. VSC SYSTEM WARNING INDICATED AND BRAKES FAIL TO FUNCTION CAUSING NEAR FATAL ACCIDENT

NHTSA ID

11362356

Incident

Oct 2, 2020

Mileage

990,000 mi

THE AC DOES NOT BLOW COLD AIR AT ALL. THE ECO BUTTON DOESN'T WORK. WHEN PRESSED, THE CAR STALLS. THIS WAS WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED. TOO AFRAID TO TRY WHILE DRIVING. VISIBILITY IS POOR. I'VE REPLACED THE BRAKES NUMEROUS SINCE ACHIEVING OWNERSHIP.

NHTSA ID

11338612

Incident

May 10, 2020

Mileage

121,025 mi

BRAKES FAIL AT RANDOM TIMES, CANNOT ADEQUATELY STOP CAR WHEN PROBLEM OCCURS. PROBLEMS OCCURS SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK, CAUSING NEAR ACCIDENTS MULTIPLE TIMES, INCLUDING WITH YOUNG PASSENGERS ON BOARD. VSC LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHTS APPEAR WHEN PROBLEM OCCURING.

NHTSA ID

11312107

Incident

Feb 26, 2020

Mileage

93,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND ATTEMPTING ACCELERATE TO MERGE ONTO THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE ABNORMALLY AND LOST MOTIVE POWER. THE VEHICLE DECELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS RELEASED AND THE VIBRATION CEASED. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO (FAMILY TOYOTA OF BURLESON 801 S BURLESON BLVD, BURLESON, TX 76028 (817) 768-2829) TO BE INSPECTED. THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO RETRIEVE FAULT CODE 1391 WITH A STATED FAILURE OF THE ABS ACTUATOR. THE CONTACT WAS QUOTED A COST OF $2,050 TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.

NHTSA ID

11302971

Incident

Jun 1, 2019

Mileage

190,000 mi

WHILE ON THE WAY BACK FROM A SHORT TRIP TO CALIFORNIA FROM ARIZONA, OUR "SERVICE ENGINE" WARNING LIGHT BECAME DISPLAYED ON OUR DASH ALONG WITH "CHECK VSC SYSTEM." THE BRAKING BECAME SOMEWHAT ERRATIC AND THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO "WANDER" MORE WITHIN THE LANE ON THE HIGHWAY CASING US TO REDUCE OUR SPEED. WHEN ARRIVING HOME WE MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE OUR VEHICLE SERVICED AND IT WAS FOUND TO HAVE A FAULTY ANTI LOCK BRAKE ACTUATOR THAT HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $2900.00. I AM REPORTING THIS BECAUSE OF THE ARTICLE I FOUND DURING MY INVESTIGATION OF THIS ISSUE STATING "FEDS INVESTIGATE BRAKING PROBLEMS IN TOYOTA CAMRY HYBRID" (HTTPS://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/NEWS/FEDS-INVESTIGATE-BRAKING-PROBLEMS-IN-TOYOTA-CAMRY-HYBRID-012814.HTML), ALONG WITH A MULTITUDE OF OTHER COMPLAINTS FOUND ON THE WEB PERTAINING TO THIS SAME ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11287498

Incident

Nov 10, 2019

Mileage

160,000 mi

CHECK VSC SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED.

NHTSA ID

11152263

Incident

Nov 17, 2018

Mileage

121,000 mi

ABS LIGHTS COMES ON, BRAKES LIGHTS COME ON, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, THE MILAGE HAND STOP WORKING AND THE AIR WONT GET COLD WHEN THIS HAPPENS.

NHTSA ID

11130004

Incident

May 20, 2018

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME ONE DAY AND TOLD ME THAT THE CAR WAS SHAKING VIOLENTLY. WHEN I DROVE IT, IT SHOOK BUT WAS NOT TOO BAD. I THOUGHT IT WAS A TIRE BALANCING ISSUE. THEN IT HAPPENED. I WAS DRIVING ONE DAY ON THE FREEWAY, THE CAR STARTED SHAKING AND THE ABS WAS ACTIVATED! I STOPPED THE CAR ON THE ROAD AND I COULD SMELL THE BRAKE SMOKE. THE THE LAST STRAW, I'M DRIVING HOME ONE DAY AND THE BRAKES SEIZED I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHO TOLD ME THE BRAKE ACTUATOR WAS THE CAUSE AND IT WAS COMMON FOR THE YEAR/MAKE/MODEL BUT THERE WAS NO RECALL AND THE COST OF REPAIR WAS $3K. THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR SOMETHING THAT IS "COMMON". AFTER HAVING MY CAR FOR 3 DAYS, TOYOTA AGREED TO PAY HALF OF THE COSTS, SO IT STILL COST $1500 TO REPAIR, PLUS $100 FOR A BRAKE JOB, THOUGH I HAD A BRAKE JOB 6 MONTHS OLD! LIKE MANY MANY OTHERS, OUR 2008 TOYOTA CAMRY HAS AND CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE MAJOR ISSUES AFFECTING THE SAFE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO BRAKES ABS ACTIVATING ON ITS OWN, BRAKES SEIZING, PREMATURE BRAKE PAD/ROTOR WEAR, DASHBOARD LIGHTS NOT WORKING, CAR MATS, BRAKE PEDAL, SUN VISORS, DASH BOARD MELTING, MOTOR MOUNT BREAKING FOR NO REASON, DASHBOARD GAUGES NOT WORKING (SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER/FUEL/TEMPERATURE ETC), CRUISE CONTROL WORKING INTERMITTENTLY WHERE IT TURNS OFF BY ITSELF, DOOR PANELS COMING LOOSE, SPEAKERS STOP WORKING PROPERLY. I COULD GO ON, BUT I THINK YOU GET THE PICTURE. THOUGH WE'VE ENJOYED OWNING TOYOTAS IN THE PAST, WE'VE OWNED THIS ONE FOR ALMOST THIS ONE FOR ALMOST 11 YEARS. AND THOUGH WE'RE LOOKING TO GET A NEW CAR SOON, I'M FAIRLY CERTAIN THAT BECAUSE OF THE ISSUES AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THE CORPORATE TREATMENT BY TOYOTA REGARDING ISSUES WITH THEIR PRODUCT, THIS MAY OUR LAST ONE. THE NHTSA SHOULD ENCOURAGE TOYOTA TO DO WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO FIX THESE ISSUES BEFORE THEY BECOME FATAL.

NHTSA ID

11110766

Incident

Jul 6, 2018

Mileage

148,000 mi

I HAVE NOTICED EXCEESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION SINCE 2015 IS 2016 AND HAVE GONE THROUGH NUMEROUS REPAIRS ONLY TO STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE LATEST ESTIMATE IS FOR AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT BECAUSE AFTER ALL OF THIS TIME ONE GUY ACTUALLY NOTICED THAT THE OIL WAS LITERALLY BURNING UP RIGHT AFTER HE CHANGED THE OIL. I HAVE BEEN STRANDED ON THE INTERSTATE AT NIGHT WITH A TODDLER FOR HOURS, AS WELL AS NOT BEING ABLE TO START THE CAR AT TIMES. I HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED MY CAR RANDOMLY SHAKING AND SMOKING IN TRAFFIC, AFTER WHICH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON. MY CAR HAS BEEN STATIONARY FOR WEEKS AT A TIME, MOST RECENTLY THIS PAST WEEK AFTER I WAS UNABLE TO FIND OUT WHO COULD FIX IT AND NOT KEEP RIPPING ME OFF. TO FIND OUT THERE WAS KNOWLEDGE OF THIS ISSUE BY TOYOTA AND NOTHING WAS SENT TO ME SAYS A LOT ABOUT HOW THE LIVES OF THEIR CUSTOMERS, AND/OR THEIR CUSTOMER FAMILY AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD, ARE ACTUALLY VALUED. THE NUMBER OF CAMRY'S MANUFACTURED AND SOLD TO UNKNOWINGLY TRUSTING CONSUMERS IS BOTH SHOCKING AND SCARY.

NHTSA ID

11078587

Incident

Jan 2, 2015

Mileage

170,000 mi

IN MARCH OF 2015, WHILE LEAVING MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT PARKING LOT THE FLOOR MAT APPARENTLY INTERFERED WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAUSING THE CAR TO SPEED UP RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL, HITTING A FIRE HYDRANT HEAD ON. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. AFTER THE CAR WAS TOTALED, I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE REGARDING THIS ISSUE SHORTLY AFTERWARDS. A LETTER FROM MY INSURANCE COMPANY INDICATED THAT I WAS NOT AT FAULT AT CAUSING THE ACCIDENT BUT RATHER THE ACCIDENT WAS THE RESULT OF ONE OR MORE RECALLS WITH REGARD TO BRAKING CONCERNS: IN THE LETTER MY INSURANCE COMPANY REFERENCED A RECALL NOTICE; NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V017000. I HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA REGARDING THIS MATTER; HOWEVER M REQUESTS HAVE GONE UNANSWERED OR HAVE BEEN IGNORED. WHEN MY CAR WAS TOTALED MY INSURANCE PAID THE FAIR MARKET VALUE TO THE LENDER WHICH ENDED UP CREATING A DEFICIENCY. I'M STRUGGLING TRY TO PAY FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE AS WELL AS PAYING THE DEFICIENCY.

NHTSA ID

11056327

Incident

Mar 19, 2015

Mileage

80,000 mi

ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS COME ON BRAKE PEDAL SINKS TO FLOOR. HAD THIS FIXED AS PART OF RECALL IN 2014. PROBLEM IS NOW BACK. BRAKE FLUID LEVEL WAS JUST ABOVE MINIMUM. ADDED SOME BRAKE FLUID AND PROBLEM STOPPED.

NHTSA ID

11046465

Incident

Nov 11, 2017

Mileage

113,000 mi

THIS IS LIFE OF CAR NEW 2008 T0 2017 LESS THAN 20000 MILES CLUTCH HAD TO BE REPLACED ALL ENGINE WIRES REPLACED BRAKES RUSTED OUT SUN VISOR KEPT FALLING DOWN

NHTSA ID

11004129

Incident

May 10, 2017

Mileage

20,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE ABS INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND ALL THE LIGHTS AND GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO WORK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS ACTUATOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,790.

NHTSA ID

10991013

Incident

May 1, 2017

Mileage

93,790 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE SPEEDOMETER AND THE RMN DIAL FLUCTUATED UP AND DOWN, AND THE BRAKE AND ABS INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL OTHER TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

NHTSA ID

10959645

Incident

Dec 15, 2016

Mileage

65,000 mi